n. [ OE.; akin to OD. bluyster, fr. the same root as blast, bladder, blow. See Blow to eject wind. ] 1. A vesicle of the skin, containing watery matter or serum, whether occasioned by a burn or other injury, or by a vesicatory; a collection of serous fluid causing a bladderlike elevation of the cuticle. [ 1913 Webster ]

And painful blisters swelled my tender hands. Grainger. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any elevation made by the separation of the film or skin, as on plants; or by the swelling of the substance at the surface, as on steel. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A vesicatory; a plaster of Spanish flies, or other matter, applied to raise a blister. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blister beetle, a beetle used to raise blisters, esp. the Lytta vesicatoria (or Cantharis vesicatoria), called Cantharis or Spanish fly by druggists. See Cantharis. --
Blister fly, a blister beetle. --
Blister plaster, a plaster designed to raise a blister; -- usually made of Spanish flies. --
Blister steel, crude steel formed from wrought iron by cementation; -- so called because of its blistered surface. Called also blistered steel. --
Blood blister. See under Blood. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Blistered p. pr. & vb. n. Blistering. ] To be affected with a blister or blisters; to have a blister form on. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let my tongue blister. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To raise a blister or blisters upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

My hands were blistered. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To give pain to, or to injure, as if by a blister. [ 1913 Webster ]

This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongue. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. harshly or corrosively critical in tone; -- of comments about people or their actions. blistering criticism
Syn. -- acerb, acerbic, acid, bitter, caustic, scathing, venomous, virulent, vitriolic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. intensely hot. blistering sun
Syn. -- blistery. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. very fast; as, a blistering pace.
Syn. -- red-hot, scorching. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Full of blisters. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]